Apparatus for resting paintbrush

ABSTRACT

An apparatus for resting a paintbrush on a surface includes a support body having a first leg portion with opposed front and rear surfaces and a second leg portion extending at an angle relative to the front surface. A strip of double-sided tape is adhered to the rear surface of the first leg portion and can be attached to a paintbrush such that the second leg portion and a handle of the paintbrush engage a support surface to support bristles of the paintbrush above the support surface.

CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATION

[0001] This application claims the benefit of U.S. provisional patent application serial No. 60/384,201 filed May 30, 2002.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

[0002] The present invention relates generally to paintbrush holders and, in particular, to an apparatus for supporting a paintbrush in a substantially horizontal position.

[0003] There are many different prior art paintbrush holders, some of which holders are adapted to be attached to a paint can and/or suspend the paintbrush in a substantially vertical position.

[0004] The U.S. Pat. No. 3,432,875 shows a paintbrush and hanger assembly for suspending a paintbrush vertically in a container.

[0005] The U.S. Pat. No. 3,536,285 shows a clamping means for a paintbrush having an elongated support surface extending into a container.

[0006] The U.S. Pat. No. 3,668,731 shows a paintbrush holder having a spring member attached to a paintbrush handle.

[0007] The U.S. Pat. No. 4,757,568 shows a paintbrush having a supporting means for suspending the paintbrush vertically within a container and a prying means for removing the lid of the container.

[0008] The U.S. Pat. No. 5,087,014 shows a U-shaped clip adapted to be attached to a paintbrush handle for holding the paint brush in a cantilevered position or in a vertical position.

[0009] The U.S. Pat. No. 6,244,559 shows a paintbrush hanger adapted to be fastened to a paintbrush either permanently or temporarily with fasteners or adhesives.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

[0010] The present invention concerns an apparatus for resting a paintbrush on a surface. The apparatus includes a support body having a first generally planar leg portion with opposed front and rear surfaces and a second generally planar leg portion extending from an edge of the first leg portion at an angle front the front surface. A strip of double-sided tape has a first adhesive surface adhered to the rear surface of the first leg portion and a second adhesive surface facing away from the rear surface. When the second adhesive surface is attached to a body of a paintbrush, the second leg portion can engage a support surface for supporting bristles of the paintbrush above the support surface.

[0011] The rest apparatus in accordance with the present invention allows a paintbrush to be rested on a surface, including a horizontal surface, and advantageously prevents the brush bristles of the paintbrush from touching the surface, reducing the chance for the brush bristles to become contaminated with debris and the like and avoiding transferring paint on the bristles to the surface.

DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0012] The above, as well as other advantages of the present invention, will become readily apparent to those skilled in the art from the following detailed description of a preferred embodiment when considered in the light of the accompanying drawings in which:

[0013]FIG. 1 is a perspective view of a paintbrush rest apparatus in accordance with the present invention;

[0014]FIG. 2 is a side elevation view of the paintbrush rest apparatus shown in FIG. 1; and

[0015]FIG. 3 is perspective view of the paintbrush rest apparatus shown in FIG. 1 in use on a paintbrush.

DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT

[0016] There is shown in FIGS. 1 and 2 a rest apparatus 10 for resting a paintbrush on a generally horizontal surface such as, but not limited to, a workbench top, a floor of a room, or a lip of a paint can. The paintbrush rest apparatus 10 includes a support body 11 for attachment to a paintbrush, discussed in more detail below. The support body 11 includes a first generally planar leg portion 12 having a front surface 13 opposite a rear surface 14. The support body 11 also includes a second generally planar leg portion 15 extending outwardly at an obtuse angle 16 from an edge area 22 of the leg portion 12. Although the leg portions 12 and 15 can be formed as separate pieces, the preferred embodiment is an integral structure wherein the edge area 22 is that point at which associated planes of the leg portions intersect and the leg portions 12 and 15 terminate in free edges or ends 12 a and 15 a respectively. The support body 11 can be made from any suitable material by any suitable manufacturing process. For example, the support body 11 can be molded from a plastic material or thermoformed from a sheet of plastic material. Although the first leg portion 12 and the second leg portion 15 are shown as having approximately the same thickness and width, with the leg portion 12 being longer than the leg portion 15, such dimensions may vary while remaining within the scope of the present invention.

[0017] A strip of double-sided tape 17 has a first adhesive surface 18 adhered to the rear surface 14 of the first leg portion 12 and an opposed second adhesive surface 19 facing away from the rear surface 14. The second adhesive surface 19 is utilized to attach the rest apparatus 10 to the side of a paintbrush, discussed in more detail below. Preferably, the second adhesive surface 19 is attached to a portion of the paintbrush where the bristles are attached to the handle. Typically, the second adhesive surface 19 is protected prior to installation on the paintbrush by a removable film or sheet (not shown). While the double-sided tape 17 is shown to occupy substantially the entire rear surface 14, those skilled in the art will appreciate that the double-sided tape 17 may be of smaller area while remaining within the scope of the present invention. When the second adhesive surface 19 of the support body 11 is attached to a paintbrush, the free end 15 a of the second leg portion 15 can engage a support surface for suspending the bristles of the paintbrush above the support surface.

[0018] There is shown in FIG. 3 a pair of paintbrushes 20 and 21. The paintbrush 20 has one rest apparatus 10 attached to a ferrule 23 connecting a brush handle 25 to bristles 27. The brush bristles 27 are supported above a surface 24 engaged by an upper end of the brush handle 25 and the free end 15 a of the second leg portion. The paintbrush 21 has another rest apparatus 10 attached to a ferrule 28 connecting a handle 29 to brush bristles 30. The brush bristles 30 are supported over an open paint can 26 having a lip groove engaged by the free end 15 a of the second leg portion.

[0019] The rest apparatus 10 in accordance with the present invention advantageously allows the paintbrush 20 or 21 to be rested on a surface, such as the surface 24, that is a substantially horizontal surface. Regardless of the surface upon which it rests, the rest apparatus 10 advantageously prevents the brush bristles of the paintbrush from touching the surface, reducing the chance for the brush bristles to become contaminated with debris and the like, or transferring paint from the bristles to the surface.

[0020] In accordance with the provisions of the patent statutes, the present invention has been described in what is considered to represent its preferred embodiment. However, it should be noted that the invention can be practiced otherwise than as specifically illustrated and described without departing from its spirit or scope. 

What is claimed is:
 1. An apparatus for resting a paintbrush on a surface comprising: a support body having a first leg portion with opposed front and rear surfaces and a second leg portion extending outwardly from an edge of said first leg portion; and a strip of double-sided tape having a first adhesive surface adhered to said rear surface of said first leg portion and a second adhesive surface facing away from said rear surface whereby when said second adhesive surface is attached to a paintbrush, said second leg portion can engage a support surface for supporting bristles of the paintbrush above the support surface.
 2. The apparatus according to claim 1 wherein said first leg portion and said second leg portion extend in associated planes at an obtuse angle relative to one another.
 3. The apparatus according to claim 1 wherein said first leg portion is longer than said second leg portion.
 4. The apparatus according to claim 1 wherein a free end of said second leg portion is adapted to engage the support surface.
 5. An apparatus for resting a paintbrush on a support surface comprising: an integral support body having a first generally planar leg portion and a second generally planar leg portion extending in associated planes at an obtuse angle therebetween, said first leg portion including opposed front and rear surfaces and said second leg portion including a free end; and a strip of double-sided tape having a first adhesive surface adhered to said rear surface of said first leg portion and a second adhesive surface facing away from said rear surface whereby when said second adhesive surface is attached to a paintbrush, said second leg portion can engage a support surface for supporting bristles of the paintbrush above the support surface.
 6. The apparatus according to claim 5 wherein said first leg portion has a length greater than a length of said second leg portion.
 7. A paintbrush rest assembly comprising: a paintbrush having a handle, a plurality of bristles and a ferrule attaching said bristles to said handle; a support body having a first portion and a second leg portion extending in associated planes at an angle therebetween, said first leg portion including opposed front and rear surfaces and said second leg portion having a free end; and a double-sided tape having a first adhesive surface adhered to said rear surface of said first leg portion and a second adhesive surface adhered to said ferrule, whereby when a free end of said handle of said paintbrush and said free end of said second leg portion engage a support surface, said bristles are supported above the support surface.
 8. The apparatus according to claim 7 wherein a length of said first leg portion is greater than a length of said second leg portion. 